Aerosmith's Steven Tyler on new album: 'We're like modern-day sorcerers'

The relationship between Aerosmith's band members hasn't always exactly been smooth sailing; notoriously, singer Steven Tyler and guitarist Joe Perry have clashed. But with their new album -- the band's 15th to date -- "Music from Another Dimension," it looks like the five-piece, who have been together over 40 years, managed to make it work.

"When it comes to playing, we're on the same page," noted Joey Kramer, who along with band members Tyler, Perry, Brad Whitford and Tom Hamilton joined TODAY's Matt Lauer on Friday for a chat. The band returned later on for a live performance on the plaza.

"We have lives, and we have wives, and we have kids, and we've all taken different paths to fill up that side of our lives," said Perry.

"This thing has outlived some of our marriages," noted Whitford.

But there's still clearly a little simmering irritation under their public personas. Lauer informed Perry that during an interview with Tyler earlier this year, Tyler shared some very kind things about Perry's talent. To this, Perry remarked, "We were probably due to have a writing session or something the next day. So ... he wanted to get me in some kind of good mood."

After Lauer indicated that Tyler had said he was "addicted" to Perry's playing, however, there was a moment of sweet emotion as Perry told Tyler, "That was nice of you to say."

Tyler, who left "American Idol" after last season, kept his cool, because as he says, special things happen when all five of them get shut up in a studio together.

"It's interesting how ... the music just smacks life right in the face," he said. "When we get together and write, we're like modern-day sorcerers."

Catch Aerosmith Friday night alongside other performers including Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi and Billy Joel on the "Hurricane Sandy Coming Together Benefit." The special will air at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, USA Network, SyFy, MSNBC, CNBC, Bravo, E!, Style Network, G4 and more. It will also be live streamed on NBC.com, and money collected will go to American Red Cross relief efforts.